The great and sometimes frustrating part about being a parent/step-parent (of which I will be come mid July) is watching your child struggle without you being able to do anything about it. Last night Josh and I experienced this dualistic roller coaster ride during Kyle’s (my soon-to-be stepson) first Little League Baseball tournament game.

This game kicked off like no other. For the first time ever, I heard Kyle get competitive.

When he was rolling out of the car he asked “Hey, are we playing the Nationals?”

We both respond “Looks like it.”

He cheered back, “They’re going down”

I lost it, it was just too funny to hear our 10 year old getting seriously competitive aggressive over a baseball game. He is at the age where things are starting to count. He doesn’t play baseball just to have fun anymore. There is drive to do great and win with his team. And undeniably, this season has been filled, like most LL Baseball seasons, of ups, downs, dropped fly balls, errors, and Strike Outs -looking (the cardinal sin if you ask Josh).

So Kyle is out warming up with team and they are all geared up, more than normal to play some ball.

I heard coach say “If you guys can play half as good as I coach, we are going to win this game” Parents laugh, kids get the “What does he mean” look on their face and continue about their 10 year old business.

Parents are a mixed bag, excited about how far their kids have progressed, complaints about the weather, and sighs of relief for the last week of school to be right around the corner.

The boys hit the field. No fanfare or trumpets sound, yet, but they are playing fiercely – both teams – Home and Away. The players are serious, almost to the point of over-thinking certain plays. “Where do I throw the ball? Its in the outfield and the runner is already on second base” While the coaches are screaming “Throw the ball in, THROW IT!” This game is turning out to be a true teeter-totter. There is no dominant team on th field tonight.

Little Leage rules state the regular game lasts 6 innings. Are you seeing where this is going? The sixth inning comes to an epic end. Kyle’s team is home, so they are batting last – truly important because they are down by one. There are two outs and the batter has a count of 2 strikes and 1 ball. He loves that high heat. There is a runner (our fastest kid) on third. There is hope for the Braves. The pitch comes in………Swing! and a miss….ughhhh what a downer – we just lost. The Nationals run off the field in victory – BUT WAIT! the pitch was dropped. The batter runs to first base and the error allows our fastest kid to get home and score the tie-run. In the meantime the runner at second gets out at third, making our third out. They were doing their jobs. OK so we are all tied up. Do we go into extra innings? But of course! For the first time this season, we have seen the sixth inning come and go leading to the seventh, eighth, and ninth! History is in the making.

In the seventh inning the nail-biting back-and-forth continued but Kyle gets to bat. He gets a walk – steals second and on to third. The batter after him strikes out – swinging – at least they were swinging. The next batter is up and the pitches are humming in. A wild pitch is thrown – Kyle is taking his appropriate lead from third – then he is called back then when on the bag, told to “RUN RUN RUN!” Guess what? He gets out – ending the inning – that run could have ended the game. The look of devastation was heart-breaking. Not only his look, but the looks from the kids, parents and coaches. I ached for him. But we had to “buck-up”, more extra innings.

The eighth inning came and went with more give and take. Josh was getting discouraged. I kept silent, looking up at him after both great plays and disasters. I had some serious anxiety! I wanted the Braves to win so badly.

The ninth inning was the special one. A new pitcher takes the top of the inning for the Braves. Miraculously – 3 up 3 down – all strike outs. It was awesome. All we needed was one run.

The Braves come up to bat – Kyle is batting second, I am so nervous I was fidgety. Our first batter draws a walk. SHEW! no outs, this is good.

Side note- Kyle has become extremely patient in the batter’s box – frustrating for me, because I want him to wallop the crap out of the ball, but oh well. His patience paid off last night.

Kyle takes a few pitches – he is being patient. The batter that drew the walk was now on third. He stole his way there. The pitch comes in! CRACK!!! Kyle hits the ball and it is in the hole between the first and second basemen. The runner comes home, WE WIN!!!

I see the coach lean over to Kyle and say “Kyle you just won the game for us”

The dejected and defeated face from his out at home-plate lifted away to looks of elation, followed by a stampede of his teammates circling around him.

I was jumping around like a groupie, I was so proud of him.

He was patted on the head, hugged, jumped on and cheered.

Quotes at the end of the game were –

“That’s MY boy” – Josh 🙂 I love hearing that

“That was the best game in LL history” – Kyle’s teammate

“That was worth the ticket price” – great supportive parent

“Thank God it is over” – parent from the losing side

“Kyle you did it!; Kyle’s a champion!”

I could have cried. The look on his face was priceless – the camera was in the car – I kick myself now. I will not be able to capture that look and feeling again. That is why I am trying to write it down here. I had to share.

Last weekend was great, I got to see my pal Jess walk across the stage at Mary Washington University; I was able to cook a meal for my family for Mother’s Day; and I got absolutely nothing done around my own house. What does that mean? This weekend I am going to be the proverbial chicken with its head cut-off running around getting projects accomplished. Here is a small sampling:

Friday – in no particular order

1. Drive home from work – which should only take 30 minutes, instead I will be sitting in traffic for at least an hour. I kid you not. It sucks. – DID IT

1.1. Oh wait – don’t forget to pick up the new cell phones from the FedEx facility – another 15-20 minutes. Cool phones though!. I love Verizon Wireless. – DID IT

2. Stop at the grocery for – noodles, part skim ricotta cheese, mozarella, sauce and meat. Guess what that is going to be??? (see #2.3) – Yep that too…

2.1. Make the dinner

2.2. Serve the dinner – You know it!

2.3. Clean up after making Lasagna- ugh! It is the absolute worst dish to clean up after- does doing it Saturday count?

3. Cut out the rest of the baby shower projects I am working on finishing before the 3 showers I am attending in the next 4 weeks! YIKES! I am loving doing the baby stuff by the way. Another reason my Etsy shop is not full of cute items. – BBBPPTTTTTT Yea, about that – it goes down hill from here.

4. Check on the veggie garden – I fear the raccoon from last year will be back any moment. That rascal! – well ok that was easy